Asymptomatic gonorrhea in the male.

In a prospective study, 133 male contacts of 102 women with gonorrhea were examined. A diagnosis of gonorrhea was made in 63 patients, indicating an infection rate of 47% after exposure. Forty-three percent of the patients with gonorrhea were asymptomatic. The duration of the asymptomatic period ranged from 3 to 154 days. The epidemiologic importance of this hidden infectious reservoir is stressed.